DC: 52 AND MORE @ HEROES CON 06

[MattBrady]

On Saturday at Heroes Con, DC held a 52/DC Nation panel, hosted by Dan Didio, and with Greg Rucka, Jann Jones, and cover artist J.G. Jones as panelists. While volunteers passed out the “DC Nation” pins that Didio brings to every “DC Nation” panel, the Executive Editor of the DCU reiterated some of the points from the previous day’ panel to a packed ballroom, going into the history of 52, and noting that much of DC President Paul Levitz’s idea for a weekly comic set in real time came from the television show 24.

In explaining his choices for writers, Didio explained that each of the four writers on 52 was bringing some thing unique to the project, describing the four as his “four corners.” Greg Rucka, Didio explained, brings a realism to the project – a street level view of the heroes of the DCU; Geoff Johns has the forward looking view of the C heroes; Mark Waid brings a sense of history of the characters; and Grant Morrison, “is just out there.”

Joking aside, Rucka said that while he knows fans like to portray Morrison as just “crazy,” he’s not, and he gets a bad rap for it. As Rucka explained, he feels that Morrison is truly a genius, and shows this by being able to see things just a little differently than everyone else, and has ideas and ideas and ideas that allow him to come at things from a different perspective and approach.

J.G. Jones commented that, during the editorial meetings on 52, despite the fact that he speaks somewhat quietly and with a heavy accent, whenever Morrison talks, everyone stops and listens – a courtesy that the other writers rarely allow themselves when one of the others is talking.

In speaking of the larger approach to 52, Rucka said that from early on, the writers realized that the project would have to be approached like a novel, rather than a traditional comic book in terms of structure, and as such, theme would have to be maintained through the characters, which made the casting decisions for the lead characters very important. The lead characters, Rucka explained, needed to have different perspectives to show the changes in the DC Universe from various angles.

The perspectives for the characters were ticked off as:

Renee Montoya: street level view of the DCU.
Adam Strange: space/cosmic view
Ralph Dibny: magical/spiritual
Black Adam: political/international
Steel: industrial/race (although, on the latter, Rucka noted that the race elements of the John Henry Irons story have been overshadowed a bit)
Booster Gold: popular culture and what it means to be a hero in the DCU.

In further explaining the themes and approaches that are being used and examined in 52, Rucka noted that not all the ideas that team had will make it in, or even appear in the storyline as strongly as they were initially planed. As an example, Rucka pointed out the Resurrection Cult storyline that Ralph Dibny is involved with, saying that within that storyline, the writers were going to look at religion in the DCU, based on Conner’s Death, and how the youth of the DCU related to it. Rucka said that the storyline, which would’ve shown a humanist religion coming out of the teen hero’s death as teens began a de facto worship of Conner, along the same lines as youth of the respective day came to idolize Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain after their respective deaths.

Additionally, Rucka noted, the Resurrection Cult storyline was something that grew organically from the writers, as it wasn’t in the original pitch for the story. As a result, the writer noted, you don’t see any references to it in One Year Later, because writers of the OYL book didn’t know it was coming.

In speaking of the cohesiveness of the team, Didio noted that J.G. Jones sits in on all of the 52 editorial meetings, sketching away while the writers discuss plot points. Many times, Didio noted, Jones has come up with sketches offering a (literal) different way to look at a scene or a story element, and as such, they’ve been adapted into the story.

Didio did note that it was due to the writing team’s enthusiasm for one of Jones’ sketches that led to a screwup with the Detective Chimp character. Jones drew the cover with Detective Chimp on it, everyone fell in love with it, and wrote the character into the particular storyline concerning Ralph Dibny, even though the appearance ran counter to what had been revealed about the character’s time spent during the missing year in Shadowpact.

Asked about where Booster Gold’s story is going, Rucka advised the fan that he (the person asking the question) had no idea just where the story will head before it is all said and done. In that vein, the writer noted that even though there are 44 weeks left to 52, not every character’s story will end at Week 52. Some, Rucka said, will end well before that.

Opening the panel to all DC questions, Didio had a bemused look on his face when a fan asked what was behind the decision to make Batman “a complete bastard” in All-Star Batman and Robin, and replied with a chuckle, “I’ll tell you what went into it – it was Frank Miller’s decision. You don’t like it, you call him and tell him.”

As one fan complained at how screwed up the Cassandra Cain Batgirl character had become, saying that he felt cheated by her return as a typical one-note bad girl, Didio said that there is still lot of story to be told. “I loved the first arc of Batgirl,” Didio said. “The silent Batgirl, the dangerous Batgirl, the weapon Batgirl. We’re trying to get back to that.”

Didio and Rucka then explained a major push for the Bat-characters in Gotham post Infinite Crisis, that is, that each has to be different than the other. While adopting the mantle of the Bat in Gotham City signals a certain level of commitment, Rucka explained, no one is really happy or completely well-adjusted when they do it. But, Didio added, all of those who do need to be unique in that they are coming to it for their own reasons and from their own direction.

Also speaking of Batman, Didio said that he intends to keep the Batman/Barbara Gordon/Oracle relationship in the off position, given that, as he saw it, giving Batman the instant contact with Oracle was like giving Batman OnStar. “He stopped being the world’s greatest detective the minute he put that receiver in his ear,” Didio said. The emphasis on Batman after Crisis, Didio explained is to reign in the “small army” he’d been using in Gotham, and return it to a core of Batman, Robin, Alfred, and a very small number of others.

When a fan asked about the return of Helena Wayne and Dick Grayson form Earth-2, given Power Girl’s continued presence, Didio replied with a quick, “Absolutely not. I’m glad you asked that question, but no.”

In discussing the artistic style of 52, Didio said that there are many big name artists both coming up, and asking for weeks of their own to draw. When asked if Jim Lee would be drawing a week, Didio answered with a smile, “Yes – Week 74.”

Jann Jones jumped in to point out that many big name artists have been signed, and have completed or are working on the upcoming run of character origin backup stories written by Mark Waid. Artists named by Jones were: Eric Powell, Kevin Nowlan, J.G. Jones, George Perez, Adam Hughes, and Brian Bolland.

Asked about the changes coming in Captain Marvel as a character, Didio said that he felt it is long past time to change the character to make him and the other Marvels work better in the modern day as well as the DC Universe. Confessing his feelings about the character, Didio said that, as he saw it, Captain Marvel had not worked as a concept since DC acquired the rights to the character family in the ‘70s. The purity of the concept doesn’t hold together as well as that of Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, Didio explained – the sensibility of the character, as originally envisioned, doesn’t translate across the decades as that of the other heroes’ does. The upcoming Trials of Shazam miniseries is an attempt at finding a way to make it work.

J.G. Jones pointed out that a lot of Marvel family characters will be playing a key role in 52 in the coming months, as part of a story that begins to pull the various strands of the series together.

Asked if that was Isis that he drew on an upcoming cover of 52 with Black Adam, Jones’ response was “Yes, yes, it was.” It wasn’t Didio noted, the 1970’s Isis from the television show, as DC doesn’t have those rights to the character.

Asked if there was a chance that Gotham Central would return, Rucka said that while that particular series wouldn’t return, there is a good chance that something with a similar feel of Central, showing the DCU form the ground up would be appearing sometime. Later, Rucka noted that Gotham Central began life as a pitch for Jim Gordon solo series.

Black Adam’s death toll in 52? “Massive,” Didio said.

“But,” Rucka added, “Before the end of 52, you’re probably going to cry for Black Adam.”

Asked about their take on downloading comics digitally via bit torrent or other applications, Didio said he feels that comics have a safer zone than other media, and that, due to the collectibility involved in the hobby, they will be more resilient to the financial damages seen in other media that is illegally downloaded. Rucka mused that it may be helping the industry as more people are able to sample the comics to see if they want to pick them up monthly or as trades.

When asked by a fan when Ralph Dibney became the world’s slowest detective, pointing out the character’s relatively leisurely progression in solving the case through the pages of 52, Rucka pointed out that, given it’s weekly and real-time nature, sometimes exceptions have to be made in storytelling, and not every moment of every character’s life during the year will be shown. Rucka also noted that due to 52’s format, the writers have having to learn some new rules, for examples, cliffhangers cannot be used as the next issue picks up one day, not moments later.

Wrapping things up with a lightning round, Didio mowed through many topics and characters in as little time as possible…among them:

Didio does know who will replace Howard Chaykin on art for Hawkgirl, but wasn’t saying.

Should more be done with Jason Todd? “Set up a phone number!” was yelled from the audience.

Zauriel, who will be appearing in 52, will also get a one shot at the beginning of next year.

Will General Zod be showing up again? “Which one?” Didio asked. “If you mean a General Zod with as a single, clear concept, kind of like the movie version of General Zod, then the answer is yes.”

Suicide Squad will be showing up in Checkmate, and plans are being looked at for possible trade collections, as well as the Showcase treatment.

Finally, though he gave a overly tease-y answer when asked about New Gods, after the panel, Didio said that a New God will be appearing in one of this week’s books, “But you won’t recognize him, her, or it.”

[Delta Ass]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Will General Zod be showing up again? “Which one?” Didio asked. “If you mean a General Zod with as a single, clear concept, kind of like the movie version of General Zod, then the answer is yes.”

About time.

[greenflameuk]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Didio did note that it was due to the writing team’s enthusiasm for one of Jones’ sketches that led to a screwup with the Detective Chimp character. Jones drew the cover with Detective Chimp on it, everyone fell in love with it, and wrote the character into the particular storyline concerning Ralph Dibny, even though the appearance ran counter to what had been revealed about the character’s time spent during the missing year in Shadowpact.

They should just cancel Shadowpact and start again, or at least find some stupid way to explain how Detective Chimp can be in two places at once.

[LucasSiegel]

Rucka's take on downloading is interesting to say the least. I do know people whose pull lists have grown because of something they read on the computer. Even people who came back to or got into comics because of it, so it could be argued, at least...

[sebzero11]

Even if you don't like 52 (and I happen to love it), you gotta respect the amount of time, energy, effort, and thought DC is putting into it!
It's very well done.

Now PLEASE don't kill Booster!

[BlueThunderArmy]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

“The silent Batgirl, the dangerous Batgirl, the weapon Batgirl. We’re trying to get back to that.”

Insert "silent but deadly" joke here.

[Delta Ass]

Originally Posted by greenflameuk

They should just cancel Shadowpact and start again, or at least find some stupid way to explain how Detective Chimp can be in two places at once.

A wizard did it.

[Hypertime]

Will DC be uploading any more of these convention discussions to their podcast? I love 'em, buy they haven't updated since Metzler's panel at NYCC06.

Suicide Squad will be showing up in Checkmate, and plans are being looked at for possible trade collections, as well as the Showcase treatment.

Fantastic. I will be buying these by the hundreds, loading them into a cargo plane and dropping them all across the country. I love the Suicide Squad and Checkmate and this is pretty much the best news.

Asked about their take on downloading comics digitally via bit torrent or other applications, Didio said he feels that comics have a safer zone than other media, and that, due to the collectibility involved in the hobby, they will be more resilient to the financial damages seen in other media that is illegally downloaded. Rucka mused that it may be helping the industry as more people are able to sample the comics to see if they want to pick them up monthly or as trades.

This is really surprising in its honesty. Hopefully, DC takes a more serious look at creating a robust digital comic preview system. I've convinced more people to buy the first trade of Y: The Last Man by linking them to the first issue on Vertigo's site than I thought was possible. Something to keep in mind.

[Deadshot77]

Originally Posted by sebzero11

Now PLEASE don't kill Booster!

With these a-holes & their track record for destroying the JLI, Booster is as good as dead.
Will he STAY dead or is there more to it? I don't know, because 52's theme was to be what it meant to be a hero in the DCU & they put that tag line next to Booster, so who knows? Could be a red herring because it's pretty obvious they are going to kill Booster or rather THIS version of him & they may WANT us to think his story ends there.


And they want us to cry for Black Adam when his country & the hundreds of thousands of people get obliterated.

[RAB]

Wow. Sign me up for those Suicide Squad trades. Still the best series ever, in my opinon. It's about time everyone got to see what all the fuss is (still) about...

[CometSweat84]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

When a fan asked about the return of Helena Wayne and Dick Grayson form Earth-2, given Power Girl’s continued presence, Didio replied with a quick, “Absolutely not. I’m glad you asked that question, but no.”

So how does that explain E2's Helena and Dick's appearances/mentions in the latest issue of Superman/Batman?

[Darren J. Gendron]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Greg Rucka, Didio explained, brings a realism to the project – a street level view of the heroes of the DCU; Geoff Johns has the forward looking view of the C heroes; Mark Waid brings a sense of history of the characters; and Grant Morrison, “is just out there.”

This is one of the reasons that my wife loves this series. It started with such a simple level, loading in the history and semi-obscure characters. And then the "out there" just went nuts.
Her other main reason for liking this series is the weekly format. She's only reading maybe three monthlies right now, and prefers trades so that she doesn't have to remember the various plotlines from month to month. Getting it in a weekly dose has been a very beneficial read for her.
More comics need to do this. More miniseries coming out every other week would be gravy, too.

[CometSweat84]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Asked about their take on downloading comics digitally via bit torrent or other applications, Didio said he feels that comics have a safer zone than other media, and that, due to the collectibility involved in the hobby, they will be more resilient to the financial damages seen in other media that is illegally downloaded. Rucka mused that it may be helping the industry as more people are able to sample the comics to see if they want to pick them up monthly or as trades.

Actually, I personally feel offering more comics in a digital format (legally, even if there is a small cost involved) which can be burned to a disk or saved to a hard drive is a very, very good idea. I know it's not nearly the same as scouring for actual back issues themselves or buying trade collections, but there are some of us who are eager for an electronic format. For me, the major advantage is that it no longer means having to stow boxes and boxes of books--I can have an entire run of the regular Batman series on just one DVD, as opposed to four or five long boxes crammed with comics. Reading comics on a computer screen, as opposed to lounging back with a periodical in your hand, would take a bit of getting used to, but I think the trade-off is worth it.

[Herowatcher]

"Asked about the changes coming in Captain Marvel as a character, Didio said that he felt it is long past time to change the character to make him and the other Marvels work better in the modern day as well as the DC Universe. Confessing his feelings about the character, Didio said that, as he saw it, Captain Marvel had not worked as a concept since DC acquired the rights to the character family in the ‘70s. The purity of the concept doesn’t hold together as well as that of Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, Didio explained – the sensibility of the character, as originally envisioned, doesn’t translate across the decades as that of the other heroes’ does. The upcoming Trials of Shazam miniseries is an attempt at finding a way to make it work."

I really disagree with this comment. I just don't understand how Captain Marvel didn't work as he was in the fabric of the DCU. We have the wizard Shazam and he bequeaths magical powers of the "Ancient Deities" to three individuals. The Marvel family had powers similar to the Superman Family, but derived in a different way. The REAL problem was that DC never took the time to really understand those differences and how to utilize them in stories. In addition, DC couldn't decide on a concise way to portray the personality differences of Billy, Mary and Freddy from Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. respectively.

I'm still looking forward to the Trials of Shazam and seeing how DC will change the dynamics and the Marvel Family.

[MichaelH]

Originally Posted by CometSweat84

So how does that explain E2's Helena and Dick's appearances/mentions in the latest issue of Superman/Batman?

That story happened in Power Girl's past. DiDio simply said they won't be returning in the present.

[Lex]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Zauriel, who will be appearing in 52, will also get a one shot at the beginning of next year.

He's going to appear both in 52 and his own one-shot? As a huge fan of the character I just have to say: THANK YOU!!!!!!

[tiso_spencer]

Even though I hate Didio's down talking comments, I at least liked how he responded to the digital comics. As such my answer for this same question will differ from what I posted about Marvel. There will always be a market to actually have the physical books in your hands, such as graphic novels and what have. People do not have the money to buy every book each , let alone have the time to stand and read for hours in the store (if they are even allowed). Downloading online has let me sample comics I would have never thought about and actually in some cases put them on my pull list.

[Nine]

“The silent Batgirl, the dangerous Batgirl, the weapon Batgirl. We’re trying to get back to that.”

DC Comics: Where "character development" is a dirty word.

[Defunct]

Originally Posted by CometSweat84

So how does that explain E2's Helena and Dick's appearances/mentions in the latest issue of Superman/Batman?

That was a flashback to Earth 2, nothing more.

[jesidres]

Whomever yelled out the "set up a phone number" for Jason Todd deserves a medal in my book. Honestly- an editor-in-chief should really not have these biases against characters like Nightwing and Oracle- characters that have been proven to be more dynamic and have a good following of fans.
Next thing we know Nightwing's gonna have a mullet- wait, it's already begun.

[ghostly1]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

As one fan complained at how screwed up the Cassandra Cain Batgirl character had become, saying that he felt cheated by her return as a typical one-note bad girl, Didio said that there is still lot of story to be told. “I loved the first arc of Batgirl,” Didio said. “The silent Batgirl, the dangerous Batgirl, the weapon Batgirl. We’re trying to get back to that.”

Interesting first steps to doing that, making her so damned talkative and annoying, and in fact making her not Batgirl at all. I wish I had any faith you were planning to get back to it.

Didio and Rucka then explained a major push for the Bat-characters in Gotham post Infinite Crisis, that is, that each has to be different than the other. While adopting the mantle of the Bat in Gotham City signals a certain level of commitment, Rucka explained, no one is really happy or completely well-adjusted when they do it. But, Didio added, all of those who do need to be unique in that they are coming to it for their own reasons and from their own direction.

I'd suspect Batgirl qualifies as different-from-the-others, probably much more so than the new Batwoman. (unless 'lesbian' is enough to count as 'different'

[mmurphy1968]

Originally Posted by greenflameuk

They should just cancel Shadowpact and start again, or at least find some stupid way to explain how Detective Chimp can be in two places at once.

Why? It is not that big of a deal, enjoy the stories for what they are worth and move on....

[Hokeyboy]

Originally Posted by CometSweat84

So how does that explain E2's Helena and Dick's appearances/mentions in the latest issue of Superman/Batman?

It was Power Girl's dream/flashback. No big mystery there Tiger.

[bluebird]

The Batgirl thing seems kind of funny, as Adam Beechen portrayed her the exact opposite in ROBIN (i.e., less silent than she's ever been), although I guess she's "deadly" again. Like the Jason Todd resurrection, there are just too many questions not addressed...stories shouldn't take a year or two to START making sense, even in serial media like this.

The Bat-comments confused me, as currently Robin is the only Bat-character--Cassie's a villain, Nightwing is in NYC and incomunicado, and Oracle's mobile and not speaking to Batman. (I don't agree with her as Bat OnStar, by the way--she's the same with the rest of the DCU, she should be CLOSER to Batman than farther away. Or I wish they'd at least explain the rift...I read the end of "War Games," and I didn't undertand it at all).


As for Captain Marvel, I don't think DC ever really tried too hard. Didn't "Crisis Times Five" work well? What about KINGDOM COME, the Alex Ross Treasury size (POWER OF HOPE?...I forget the title)? Or the current JUSTICE? Clearly some creators--Morrison, Ross, I think Johns to a lesser extent, and I bet Kurt Busiek, who's used analogues of the Marvels quite well in ASTRO CITY--get them.

Sadly, the one guy who DOESN'T get 'em at all's been writing about them a lot lately, and will be re-dfining them...

[jedifish]

Originally Posted by Herowatcher

I really disagree with this comment. I just don't understand how Captain Marvel didn't work as he was in the fabric of the DCU. We have the wizard Shazam and he bequeaths magical powers of the "Ancient Deities" to three individuals. The Marvel family had powers similar to the Superman Family, but derived in a different way. The REAL problem was that DC never took the time to really understand those differences and how to utilize them in stories. In addition, DC couldn't decide on a concise way to portray the personality differences of Billy, Mary and Freddy from Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. respectively.

I'm still looking forward to the Trials of Shazam and seeing how DC will change the dynamics and the Marvel Family.

See, I absolutely agree with Didio's comment. I've been reading those Shazam stories since they came out in the 70's, and they just don't work. The 70's stories were too simple and Ordway's series was just plain boring. I think it's time to shake things up.